Procol Harum Salty Dog CD - Import

1997 digipak Reissue of 1968 album. 'Quite Rightly So' is the opening cut on Procol's 1968 offering which has the band exploring all the facets of its unique style and sound, so firmly established in the wake of its original chart hits. Here are the resounding themes, the soulful vocals and swelling organ chords backed by a firm and steady beat, all matched by Keith Reid's lyrical imagery. Includes the bonus track 'Long Gone Geek' (single B-side). Repertoire.

Personnel: Robin Trower (vocals, acoustic guitar, tambourine); Gary Brooker (vocals, 3-string guitar, recorder, harmonica, piano, celeste, bells, woods); Kellogs (bosun's whistle); Matthew Fisher (vocals, acoustic guitar, recorder, piano, organ, marimba); David Knights (bass); Barrie Wilson (drums, conga, tabla).
Engineers: Ken Scott, Ian Stuart, Henry Lewy.
A SALTY DOG...PLUS contains the complete 1969 original release plus 6 rare or previously unreleased bonus tracks.
Personnel: Matthew Fisher (vocals, acoustic guitar, recorder, piano, organ, marimba); Robin Trower (vocals, acoustic guitar, tambourine); Gary Brooker (vocals, 3-string guitar, recorder, harmonica, piano, celeste, bells, woods); Kellogs (bosun's whistle); David Knights (bass); Barrie Wilson (drums, congas, tabla).
Engineers: Ken Scott, Ian Stuart, Henry Lewy.
This German import reissue is packaged in a digipak and contains the bonus track "Long Gone Geek."
This album, the group's third, was where they showed just how far their talents extended across the musical landscape, from blues to R&B to classical rock. In contrast to their hastily recorded debut, or its successor, done to stretch their performance and composition range, A Salty Dog was recorded in a reasonable amount of time, giving the band a chance to fully develop their ideas. The title track is one of the finest songs ever to come from Procol Harum and one of the best pieces of progressive rock ever heard, and a very succinct example at that at under five minutes running time -- the lyric and the music combine to form a perfect mood piece, and the performance is bold and subtle at once, in the playing and the singing, respectively. The range of sounds on the rest includes "Juicy John Pink," a superb piece of pre-World War II-style country blues, while "Crucifiction Lane" is a killer Otis Redding-style soul piece, and "Pilgrim's Progress" is a virtuoso keyboard workout. [A Salty Dog was reissued by Repertoire Records in 1997 with enhanced sound and the lost B-side "Long Gone Geek," a Robin Trower guitar workout par excellence.] ~ Bruce Eder
Procol Harum, who reached an astounding peak with their 1967 debut, achieved further heights with each successive release up to A SALTY DOG, their third. This album mixes heartfelt singing with orchestral grandeur and an R&B-based rhythm section (B.J. Wilson is one of the great unsung drummers of the '60s and '70s). The band easily and honestly moves from the symphonic mini-epic of the title track to the bluesy "The Milk of Human Kindness." The dual keyboards offer a regal sheen that is nicely punctuated by Robin Trower's guitar. Throughout, Gary Brooker's vocals are richly barbed and the perfect vehicle to deliver lyricist Keith Reid's literary verses. With the departure of organist Matthew Fisher, this was the last great recording by the original line-up of Procol Harum. This album is essential.
Procol Harum, who reached an astounding peak with their 1967 debut, achieved further heights with each successive release up to A SALTY DOG, their third. This album mixes heartfelt singing with orchestral grandeur and an R&B-based rhythm section (B.J. Wilson is one of the great unsung drummers of the '60s and '70s). The band easily and honestly moves from the symphonic mini-epic of the title track to the bluesy "The Milk of Human Kindness." The dual keyboards offer a regal sheen that is nicely punctuated by Robin Trower's guitar. Throughout, Gary Brooker's vocals are richly barbed--the perfeRolling Stone (5/31/69, p.37) - "...the group's greatest success to date with the brand of rock for which the group is known...incredible moments..."